Ingredient Review

The first ingredient is kangaroo. Kangaroo is an excellent novel protein source. However, raw kangaroo contains more than 60% moisture. After cooking, the relative meat contribution of kangaroo is dramatically reduced. Therefore, it's important to ensure that other meat sources are included within the first few ingredients to ensure the product derives most of its protein from meat.

The second ingredient is red lentil. Red lentils are rich in diary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. Lentils also provide a notable amount of plant based protein.

The third ingredient is green lentil. Green lentils are rich in diary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals. Lentils also provide a notable amount of plant based protein.

The fourth ingredient is pea. Peas are starchy members of the legume family. Other than carbohydrates, peas are notably high in plant based protein and various vitamins and minerals.

The fifth ingredient is sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols). Sunflower oil is an omega-6 fatty acid source. Unlike other oils (flax, canola, etc), sunflower oil does not provide omega-3 fatty acids; However, the balancing omega-3 fatty acids are most likely supplied by another oil or fat source.

Because ingredients are listed in order of pre-cooked weight, the remaining ingredients in California Natural Grain Free Limited Ingredient Diet Kangaroo & Red Lentils Recipe For Adult Dogs are not as important as the first five ingredients.

However, collectively they still have a significant impact on the overall quality of the product. Therefore, we'll continue discussing the remaining ingredients in this California Natural recipe.

Next we have flaxseed. Flaxseeds are an outstanding source of omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fiber. They also provide a notable amount of protein, B vitamins, and various minerals.

The next ingredient is pea fiber. Pea fiber is a concentrated dietary fiber source. Fiber can help stabilize blood sugar levels and promote colon health.

Then we have dicalcium phosphate. Dicalcium phosphate (misnomer for dibasic calcium phosphate) is commonly used in pet food and treats as a dietary calcium supplement. It can also be found in breakfast cereals, enriched flour, noodle products, pharmaceutical tablets, and toothpastes.

Moving on, we have natural flavor, which is likely included to improve palatability.

Moving on with this review, we have calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is a naturally occurring mineral supplement. Although it's often used as a dietary calcium supplement, it can also be used as a preservative or color retainer.

The next ingredient in this review is salt. Salt is an important mineral for both humans and dogs. Depending on the quantity of salt used (which we cannot determine), salt may or may not be a nutritious addition in the recipe.

The remaining ingredients in this California Natural Grain Free Limited Ingredient Diet recipe are unlikely to affect the overall rating of the product.

Our analysis of the ingredients show that this product derives a substantial amount of protein from non-meat ingredients. This is an undesirable property because plant based protein often lacks many of the necessary amino acids required by dogs. This property is typically found in lower quality products.

Final Thoughts

In summary, we recognize that this product does not contain any artificial colors, artificial preservatives, or anonymous meat ingredients.